with a little help from my friends...( maybe some from CCOM?) help!

[MRa2z]

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Hey guys..i havent been a member here too long..but after talking to different admissions counselors and getting 10 different answers, im completely confused, and need a spoonfull of advice.
i took the MCAT in april and got a 25Q. i was a bit dissappointed with the score, so i retook it this august. i have had a ton of DO work , great letters, etc...and im really interested in going to CCOM. now the bad stuff. my overall gpa is a 3.2 , science is a..( ready for it? ) 2.8...yes..i thought my sci gpa was a 3.04, but AACOMAS doesnt include math in the science gpa, so that year of calc, discrete math, trig, etc, completely a waste, and losing those A's in the science gpa hurt. anyhoot, i had talked to a admissions counselor in july, and he had advised me to submit my secondary, but to not submit a letter of rec until my fall grades came in, ( which will probably boost my sci. gpa to over a 3 ), in which respect i would be complete mid - december, with the deadline falling around march. i called a counselor today, and she said i should submit , regardless of what happens in fall, right away...she said i will proably be evaluated before my fall grades come out,but i should submit anyways...im not really sure what to do. i know my science gpa blows a great one, and even if i get a 3.1 or so after fall, its not a big jump..but i always thought applying with better stats was smarter..even if its later on in the cycle..sooo can you guys help me out or whaT?! any advice is appreciated. i know im not the most stellar applicant, im prepared for rejections..but id still like to apply this year , and do so with the best strategy.
thanks guys.

 

[MJB]

Almost my stats exactly...and I'm 30 years old.

I think if I get A's in Org. II, Physics II, and Biochem, I can get it to 3.1 or so...just like you.

Not sure what I got on the Aug. MCAT yet.

 

[czanetti]

at least from my experience if you wait, most people that are waiting are trying to increase there gpa's/mcat, the earlier the better becuase most schools are on a rolling basis. Bottom line the later you wait the more competitive it is going to be based on this logic.

 

[MRa2z]

yeah..i see what ure saying . its still a tough decision..apply now with bare bottom stats or later with ehhh stats. i dont know...guess this process isnt supposed to be easy.

 

[mommy2three]

i am also only applying to ccom and am waiting to hit the trigge button so to speak for two reasons: 1. i needed to have the lor from a do and i do nt start shadowing until next wk (after calling 12 i finally got one to take me...yahoo!!) and 2. i retook the mcat in aug and wanted them to see my app with a higher mcat.
fwiw when i called and talked to a rep there she said they evaulate you based on when your app is in so they will evaluate your app that week. if they feel you are a more competive applicant then you can expect to have an earlier interview than if you are not such a competitve applicant, regardless of when you get your app in.
personally i also plan on going to the open house in mid oct...make my face known 🙂

 

[lane113]

I'm not an expert on admissions but I do know some of my classmates and some MS2 that had 23-24 on the their MCATs. I think if you have some really good ECs and if you bring your GPA up, you can get an interview. I think CCOM really looks at the whole picture rather than just dwelling on the bad parts. Good luck with your apps! Hang in there...if you want it bad enough, it will happen.

 

[Testy McAterson]

did you submit your primary or is your science gpa based on your own estimation? i'm just another kid with an application, but my opinion based on what you've said and what i've heard is: if you haven't submitted your primary--definitely work to finish that sometime soon
-it'll probably take four weeks+ for accomas to verify your file. you're not 'late' yet, but it's definitely to your advantage to get this party started and you can figure out the rest of your strategy while you're waiting
-for fall semester grades to be reflected on your transcripts, you'll have to wait for your school to post the grades/update your transcript/send your transcript... and waiting sucks. i don't know about your school--but my fall grades were never 'posted for print' on the transcript until the middle of january.

you're still above the min. science gpa to get a secondary.

you can't get an interview until your file is complete, right? i don't know what the winning game plan is, but i'd probably just keep on keeping on and not look back...
-your mcat scores are 'above national average' and on target for the school's averages as is--and maybe going up? that's excellent! your mcat might manage to compensate for your gpa--after all, the mcat's sort of looked at as the 'equilizer' of applicants (which i hate to admit 'cause i don't think i did that well in august)
-you've got some great ECs and DO experience and LORs--from what i've heard that can definitely bump you up onto the 'interview' list
-focus on writing yourself a solid personal statement/secondary essays to make them want to meet you.

i'm not sure on this--maybe someone else knows--but can't you update the schools at the end of the semester even if your file is complete...or maybe in a letter of intent? if that's an option, it might be a good one.

 

[Vox Animo]

The longer you wait, the harder it is to get in. Think about realisticly how much one semester of grades is going to bring up 8 semesters of ave 3.2.

 

[MRa2z]

thanks for the info guys.. my gpa will be lifted a solid .2 or .3 by this coming fall semester..so i really wanted CCOM to see that...but i think im gona meet the situation in the middle and go ahead, get my secondary in, and if i break that 27 mark with my august MCAT, ill submit my secondary with whatever i have. ill let them know i have ongoing coursework and whatnot, maybe that will help some. i guess maybe if i land an interview, by the time i schedule it and stuff, my fall grades might already be out..( our school has them up by mid december )...if my mcat stays the same or only goes up a point or so, im still gona turn in that secondary, ill just hold off on submitting my LOR's until fall grades though.. i just dont feel confident witha 2.8-2.9 / 25 mcat combo..( esp. at a school where the avg. is a 3.3-3.4 ) but either way, i will plead my case in my personal statement, hopefully my work with DO's, research, and LORS will compensate for the lagging gpa. wish me luck guys..and thanks a lot everyone!

 

[Vox Animo]

remember that you can update your transcripts through the app service and they send them out for you.

 

[aishoo84]

I honestly dont think that LOR's make TOO much of a difference.... i mean of course they take them into consideration... but overall, your gpa and mcat are the two biggies that really matter.... your stats are about average for DO schools. I dont think you should worry too much. As long as you have a decent amount of volunteering/clinical experience to go along with your stats, you should have a decent shot. And YES, applying early makes a BIG difference!!! They are less picky towards the beginning of the interview cycle...so if you're kinda iffy about your scores, I think it would be to your benefit to apply early.

Btw, Good luck on saturday 🙂 Hope you did well!

 

[dr.kicia]

Ok here is what i found out from admissions conselor at CCOM.
Everything in your application is treated all together. They are looking for well rounded person. It's hard to say that this is a number game especially in DO schools.
Here is what my DO who i shadow said: DO schools love ppl from unusual backgrounds, ppl who have something original in their application.

Numbers are not the only thing that makes your application stand out. There are other factors which make ADCOMs think:hmmm i would love to find out more about this applicant, let's send the interview invite.
Just think about it....if you are an ADCOM how many times you read the same stuff over and over again...and here comes a great essay and true honest essay and not the same old bs about how much you wanted to be a doc since ever you got of your mothers womb...i mean wouldn't you want to find out more?
I look at this as browsing myspace or something. You look at thousands profiles but when there is something original THAT is what makes you click and open so you can read more.

I know many ppl who got in with not so great numbers and ppl who despite having 3.9-4.0 GPA and high to the sky MCAT didn't even get secondaries from majority of schools.

I see that often ppl take for granted their essay and all other stuff. They think no one reads it. I think they DO read it and i bet that very often that is how they get interested in you. In general DO schools love things you have done, your work/life experiances, your interests etc and they are more forgiving as to numbers.

Also as far as this conselor stated ppl who get in to CCOM have GPA around 3.3-3.5 on average and the MCAT score of 26.

Now these are averages...so you know there are ppl who get in with lower numbers.
Here's what you can do:
Wait till the next cycle and retake some of your science classes to bring up your sci GPA and then apply.
You have around 7 more months to also do something that will make you stand out. Do some more shadowing, work, volunteering etc.
I think that 25 MCAT wouldn't cross you off of the list but if you did better in Agust then there you go.
Applying in December is very riscky unless there is tremendous improvement in your MCAT and GPA. Remeber that once you don't get seat offer you will have to apply as a reaplicant. They will always know how much your appl changed etc.
My way of thinking is that it's best to apply ONCE and do it right.
Hope that helps